Annealing-furnace.



PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

L. THOMPSON. ANNEALING FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1906. RENEWED NOV. '7, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0. 890,31 4. I PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

' H. L. THOMPSON.

ANNE ALING FURNACE. 'APPLIOATION EILEE MAY 27, 1905. RENEWED NOV.'7, 1907.

E z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 sheets, but may obviously be used for metal I 1n other forms by the proper shaping of the HUGH L. THOMPSON, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

ANN EALIN (fr-FURNACE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908.

Application filed May 27, 1905, Serial N 0. 262,544. Renewed November 7, 1907. Serial No. 401,164.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH L. THOMPSON, a citizen of the v United States, residing at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Annealing-Furnace, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates "to annealing furnaces in which the oxidizing atmosphere is excluded from the metal during treatment and until the same has been cooled.

M object is to provide improved means for elivering the metal to the furnace retort Without admitting the oxidizing atmosphere thereto.

My invention comprises an annealing retort and a mechanical air look through which the material is carried into the retort.

My improved means is especially adapted for the treatment of metal in the form of valves or gates.

My improved annealing furnace is especially adapted for continuous operation and includes a preliminary chamber through which the metal must pass before reaching the retort chamber. This preliminary chamber is mechanically sealed from the outside atmos here andis also mechanically sealed from t e retort and means are provided for exhausting the oxidizing atmosphere from this preliminary chamber throughout the operation of the device.

My invention also comprises a similar chamber at the discharge end of the retort which is also provided with means for exhausting the oxidizing atmosphere therefrom. I also provide means in this chamber for the cooling of the metal as it passes therethrough so that as the metal is delivered to the outside atmosphere it has been so reduced in temperature as not to be'oxidized thereby.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of an annealing furnace showing my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a similar view enlarged of the preliminary charging chamber. Fig. 3 1s a cross section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 2. a cross section on line 1, 4 of Fig. 3.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 represents the retort of the usual form through which the metal 2 is carried from reel 3 to reel 4. Before the Fig. 4 is metal 2 reaches the retort 1 however it is passed through the preliminary charging chamber 5 which is maintained automatically closed against the outside atmosphere by the flexible gates 6 and 7. These composed of asbestos, felt or other exible or yielding material and are preferably stiflened by the framework 8 and 9 which are secured by hinges 10 and 11 operating on rods 37 and 38 secured to the stationary structure. The flexible gate 6 is maintained closed a ainst the metal by gravity while the flexibTe gate 7 is maintained closed by the counterbalance 12. This preliminary charging chamber is also sealed against the retort by the flexible gates 13 and 14 supported and operating in substantially the same manner as 6 and 7. Steam, gas or other non-oxidizing agent is introduced through pipe 15 to so I ates are force the oxidizing atmosphere out of charm ber 5 through pipe 16 so that the metal traveling through the gates 13 and 14 carries practically no oxidizing atmosphere ,into the retort 1. The retort 1 is kept free of oxidizing atmosphere in the usual way by the introduction of a non-oxidizing agent through pipe 17 to expel the oxidizing atmosphere through pipe 18. 'At the discharge end of retort 1 is provided a 'supple mental chamber 19, sealed from the retort by the flexible gates 20 and 21, the construction and operation of which are substantially the same as that described in connection with gates 6 and 7. This chamber 19 is also sealed from the outside atmosphere by the flexible gates 22 and 23 havingsimilar construction'and o eration. Within the chamber 19 is provide a coil or nest of cooling pipes 39 which are adapted to surround the metal 2 as the same passes through the chamber. Thepurpose of this coolin device is to reduce the temperature 0 the metal so that it will not be subject to the oxidizing effect .of the outside atmosphere when discharged from said chamber 19. This chamber 19 is similarly exhausted from oxidizing atmosphere by the introduction of a non-oxidizin gent through pipe 2 1 and the escape o the atmosphere through pipe 25. For the pur ose of introducing the first piece of meta through the retort and chambers I provide in chamber 5 the platform 26 and roller 27 for supporting and guiding the metal through gates 13 and 14. The metal may then be pushed along the bottom of retort until it comes to the incline 7 28 when it is carried upwardly over roller 29 thro h gates 21 and 22. Suitab e rollers such as 30 will serve to direct the metal through gates 22 and 23.

- When the metal is once threaded through the device one sheet is -made to pull another through after it, that is, a supplemental reel such as 311s, usually provided and as reel-3 has become nearly empty the end of metal 2 is secured by any of the well known devices provided for this purpose to the metal 2 on reel 31. When reel 4 is full the metal on the reel is separated from the metal coming through the retort by any suitable well known device and the supplemental reel such as 32 is connected with the metal 1 coming from the retort and so on. Suitable means are provided for rotating the reel so as to draw the metal throu h the retort and wind the same on said ree s. These are well known devices and are not described by me as they form no part of my invention.

If at an time it is desired to interrupt the annea' g process a dummy band of metal may be carried through the retort so as to'project from either end thereof so that when it is desired to start the annealing process again the metal may be attached to this dummy at one end while the other end of the dummy is secured to the rotating reel to draw metal through as above described.

It will thus be evident that by shifting from an 'em ty reel to a full reel at the charging I 1 end 0 the retort and from a full reel to an empty reel at the discharging end ofthe retort-from time to time as the same becomes necessary the annealing operation may be made, continuous.

The roller 33 is especially adapted to maintain the position of the metal as it enters the -first pair of gates 6 and 7 so that it will always be maintained properly centered between said gates.

The roller 27 serves a similar purpose with respect to gates 13 and 14, roller 29 with respectto gates 20 and 21, while the overhanging roller 44 serves the same purpose with res set to gates 22 and 23; the position of ree 4 being such as to always maintain the metal 2 either at the same elevation or slightly above the elevation of the lowest point of roller 44.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the retort showing an elevation of gates 13 and 14 in the operative position part of these gates being 1 broken away to s ow the interior construction. Fi 4 is a fragmentary view of the wall of t e retort showing a shouldered or proj ecting portion 34 having the curved suraces 35 and 36 as seats for the sides of the flexible gates so that a tight joint is secured between the gates and the side walls of the retort and chamber.

s'uitablytreated to resist the heat.

As above stated, the

a flexible material suc as asbestos or felt These ates are composed of gates are pressed firmly together so that they will lie close to the metal 2 as the same' passes between them.- Fig. 3 shows these gates closed together at either side of the metal 2 so as to form a substantially air tight seal around the'metal.

While I .have shown the chambers 5 and 19 combined with retort 1, it is obvious that either chamber may be used without the other by employing some other form of seal such as the ordinary water seal at one end of the retort.

My device is especially useful in the an- I nealing of metals which it is not desirable to pass through a liquid before entering the retort. This device is also useful as affording a cooling means for the metal in which the water or cooling liquid shall not come in contact with the metal. This is important in the treatment of certain kinds of metals.

' What I claim is 1. In an annealin furnace, the combination of a retort, a c arging chamber delivering thereto, and a gate of yielding material for maintaining the chamber closed from the retort while the metal tobe treated passes therethrough. a

2. In an annealing furnace, the combination of a retort, a charging chamber deliv ering thereto, and flexible gates for closing the chamber from the retort at one end, and at the other end from the outside atmosphere, while the metal passes therethrough.

3. In'an annealing furnace, the combination of a retort, a charging chamber delivering thereto, flexible gates/for closing the chamber from the retort at one end, and at the other end from the outside atmosphere, while the metal passes therethrough, and means for displacing ,the oxidizing atmosphere in the charging chamber by a non-oxidizing agent.

4. In an annealing. furnace, the combination of a retort, a charging chamber delivering thereto, and cooperating gates provided with yielding material at their con-' tact edges to close about the metal passing other end, said gates provided at their con tacting edges with a yielding material for closing around the'metal passing therebew tween to' maintain a continuous seal, and means for displacing the oxidizing "atmosphere in the charging chamber by a non-oxiagent.

6. n an annealing furnace, the tombination of a retort and an air lock therefor,

formed by cooperating gates of flexible mafterial provided with counterbalanced means for maintaining pressure therebetween.

7. In an annealing furnace, the combination of a retort, a gate therefor. of flexible material, and a projection from the Wall of the retort forming a seat for the gate to maintain a seal therewith.

8. In an annealing furnace, the combination of a retort and an air lock formed by cooperating hinge supported gates oi flexible or yielding material, through which the metal to be treated may pass.

9. In an annealing furnace, the combination ofa retort, a chamber at the discharge end of the retort, cooperating gates of flexi ble or yielding material closing said chain- &

ber from the retort, means for displacing the oxidizing atmosphere in said chamber by a non-oxidizing agent, and means for cooling the metal passing therethrough.

10. In an annealing furnace, the combination of a retort, a chamber at the discharge end of the retort, cooperating gates of yielding material between the'said chamber and retort, means for displacing the oxidizing atmosphere in said chamber by-a non-oxidizing agent, and cooling means within said chamber.

\ HUGH L. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

CAROLINE S. CHURCH, ROBERT H. REYNoLD's, v 

